"...dropped to 9.7% from 9.9%, but this was mostly because
many job-seekers had given up the hunt and were no longer
counted as unemployed."

...So this was definitely an unhappy consequence of workers
flocking to the sidelines not to hunt for jobs. That's probably
because, say, small businesses may still be reluctant to hire
many of them.

What a turbulent world, indeed. You, one of our Washington,
D.C. correspondents, had, alas, said: that

the rate "rose to 9.9%, from 9.7%; this is actually a happy
consequence of workers coming off the sidelines to hunt for
jobs. Small businesses may at last be ready to hire some of
them ('The perils of being small,' May 15th)."

Exactly one month on. A happy story's morphed into an un-
happy story. It's just like you send many of your kids to job
interviews in the morning. But they get home with nothing
in the afternoon. How pathetic. No. I don't blame you, sir.
You didn't cause it. You just failed to envisage consequences.
But that's all OK. Not least because what you said underpins
the fact that this recession was or, alas, is unconventional.
(Just hope that you, one in Washington, D.C., ain't that Pan-
glossian in the first place.) As a consequence, some amazing
stories await the world in the second half of the year and in
2011.

While virtually all the eyeballs were staring at Europe back in
May, this newspaper, stealthily, printed an inconvenient truth:

"Continued exposure to toxic mortgages led to further huge
quarterly losses at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac,...(Business
this week, May 15th)."

...Where have you been, Timmy? Fix your problems at home
first. The housing market is still festering. Given tenaciously
high unemployment, disgustingly high foreclosures and so on,
you know what'll happen to the housing market and, after all,
to the economy. Oh, the TARP money left? Use it, if you have
the nerve to make it, Timmy.

The world is lucky enough, if it ends up in a "mere" double-dip.
We should appreciate that.

I live in Brooklyn, supported my community, paid taxes, voted, was solidly middle-class, but in two weeks I will be living in a homeless shelter.Where I live, fast food and retail will not hire us.

I'm one of the 99-weekers who ran out of benefits nine weeks ago. I looked for work every single day and went to the training programs. This put me further in debt as I had to take out more loans. Most of us did not qualify for any sort of federal aid and now it does little good since we cannot afford to keep a roof over our heads.

We have begged our politicians Schumer, Gillibrand, and Representatives, mine Towns, for help for the past three months. Nothing has been forthcoming. Schumer proposes for exhaustees to obtain TANF faster. His legislative person yelled at me for not being grateful for the "unprecedented 99 weeks." While the NYS DOL confirms over 40,000 lost benefits nine weeks ago and the number is now over 60,000, Schumer's people send us form letters claiming it is only 20,000. Gillibrand and Towns staff tell us continuously they have no idea about the rates or help.
Why was there emergency funding for Haiti,$800 for Palestine given yesterday, and thousands for Holloway's supposed killer? We already know that the Census Bureau overhired and never put many of the people to work.
In HR 4213, Murtha's widow will get funding, despite his track record of bribes and kickbacks, stadium owners also get big tax breaks.

I do not sleep nor eat and I am paralyzed with fear. I will be on the streets and I will not last. The government knew this problem was coming and did nothing.

Americans are typically upset and ashamed to be unemployed, and an unemployment check does not allow anyone to maintain his accustomed style of living. I think that those who imagine otherwise ought to lose their jobs, receive unemployment benefits to the very end, and then perfect their, "Fries with that ?" for a year or two before being permitted to go back to work.

Please people stop and think, some states like Indiana have triggers to stop extended benefits when the states unemployment rate hits 6.5%. So the goal still is and will always be get the unemployed more jobs.
Quit sending labor consultants to show companies how to get rid of employees to avoid paying benefits and start showing them how to retain and hire more people. If the unemployment rate here gets to 6.5% then even the state will stop extended benefits. So where is everybody's head , just keep blaming the unemployed for not having a job in the worst economy in decades. Quit favoring the rich and the stockholders and offer tax breaks only to those who create JOBS !!!!

A job seeker to opening ratio is 5-1...horrible odds! We are not lazy; I wish the Republicans AND Blue Dogs would understand the realities out there. When you have a salary for life it is easy to throw stones and throw around phrases like "incentivizing unemployment". Disgusting.
Please, everyone call your senators and urge them to pass HR 4213 just to continue EUC! Even Nancy Pelosi scoffed at tier 5 benefits...but for the grace of god she will never know the sting of an economy this bad. Make them all take a look at what reality is for the average American!

Unemployed Man, you're right. Finance Man doesn't get it at all. I know several people like him--the solutions they offer are always neat and tidy. Don't have a job? Just move. See how simple that was?

They'll never get it unless and until it happens to them just like it's happened to all of the 15,000,000 unemployed. And to Finance Man, don't believe that it will never happen to you. Never's a long time to believe you're invincible. Even the best laid plans have a funny way of getting screwed up.

A few years ago, I was thisclose to being on the streets. I remember my terror very well. Unemployed Man, I'll pray hard that something happens very quickly to change your situation for the better, and to change the situations of all of us.

If they are worried about people kicking back on extended UI, they should impose a work requirement. Anyone actually capable of getting their own job would then get one, and the rest would be off the shelf and doing something rather than kicked to the curb.

What would these workers do? Let them organize projects that can be done quickly by rotating staff themselves. That isn't the point.

I WORK AND PAID TAXES FOR OVER 46 YEARS AND NOW THIS WELL THANK YOU .AND TOSAY THAT WE DONT NEED THIS COME ON WHNE YOU ONLY GET 506 EVERY2 WEEK AND RENT IS 650.00 AND LIGHT 240.00 PHONE AND CELL AT THAT 100.00SO IF SOME ONE CALL FOR A JOB.MED. 96.00 INS 35.00 WHICH IS 1,132.00WHEN I OLNY GET 1,012.00 A MONTH WHEN UI WAS MAKING OVER 1,145.00 EVER 2 WEEKS DO YOU THING I WONT TO BE HERE ? PLEASE BUT I AM AND AND YES IT IS HARD OUT HERE JOBS WHAT JOBS AND I AM OVER 55 IN AGE THAT DONT HELP. ALL I WONT IS TO LOVE OUT MY LIFE THAT I WORK SO HARD FOR AS GOOD AS I HAVE DID FOR YEARS AND THIS DONT DO IT .I RAN OUT OF EXTENDED BENEFITS AND NOW TRYING TO MAKE IT OFF MY LIFE SAVING .SO WHEN THAT GONE WERE WILL I BE OUT DOOR? BUT WHO CARE?RIGTH. BUT NOV .IS COMMING AND LESS SEE WHAT HAPPEN THEN.

You have to be there to get it... I am sorry you are going to be homeless I give you more credit then me. I would / will jump out a window before I move into a shelter. But we have to stop and think the goverment does not care. they think we sit at home watching soap operas not looking I send out so many resumes even over to the same company. at lease 100 or more a month EVERY where in the US. I worked 32 years never collected anything but 2 weeks of Disability when I had my son 2 Weeks then I went back to work. I HATE sitting home I dont sleep or eat and wonder if I can get my electric extended just a few more days until UI comes in beg my landlord for a week extra to pay rent until my UI comes in when my UI is not coming anymore I give up. I would gladly go work for those Goverment officals that think I dont want to work. OH wait they are not hiring The city of Los Angeles is laying off workers where again are we suppose to go and what again are we suppose to do Please Mr Obama give me direction. Corba help is over I guess with out my meds I dont have long anyway...
I would like to thank this great country of ours for helping all but its own. I am angry and hope at the polls we show them that we have a voice that we are angry that they leave for vacation when so many people wont have food for a HOLIDY MEAL but please dont let me stop the parties or the World Cup Party at the White house to me it is like a Maria Antoinette let them eat cake....